Though lacking the high performance of fighters, the firepower of bombers, or the death-defying missions of
reconnaissance planes, the transport carries one of the heaviest burdens of all military aircraft. These
aircraft must deliver large quantities of troops, equipment, supplies, and other materials across vast
distances in the shortest of times. Many are also equipped for vital search-and-rescue, in-flight
refueling, and armed-gunship missions. Such rapid deployment and support duties are critical to the
success of modern military strategy.